Musha shugyō
by CharmyPI-5 the VIII
Summary: A pilgrimage doesn't always take a thousand miles, sometimes its takes five seconds


" **How are you feeling?"**

 **A concerned question doused in bigotry. Almost as drenched as Miyamoto Usagi was, the hot blood seeping through his wounded arm contrasted against the ice cold rain around them. The wind blowing so hard around them that even the trees struggled to stay routed to the ground. It was as though the world wanted kill him as badly as his opponent wanted to.**

 **The dark surrounded him like a curtain. His opponent's silhouette was outline by rain and by brief flashes of lightning. Pierced by white eyes and a Long muzzle with sharp teeth. This black wild hair barely contained by its string. Personification of evil on earth, as though the very world around him was trying to reject his soul**

" **The gods have shown me your sins, Ronin."**

 **That haunting phrase, Usagi's' already cracked teeth ground harder together. Those words had haunted him through his journey, his life as a wanderer, shaking him from the deepest of sleeps with a pounding heart and sweat soaked fur.**

 **No matter what**

 **This ended tonight**

 **Usagi pressed the tip of his sword into the rain soaked dirt. Leverage and pure will forcing his broken body to his feet.**

" **You delay? Your sins have gone unpunished for so long, the gods will not stand for it anymore." The silhouette of his spear was raised, "** _ **I**_ **will not allow it anymore."**

" **Perhaps you're not insane after all, "Usagi tucked his blade under his arm long enough to tuck his useless arm into his kimono top, "Perhaps the gods truly push their will through you, and I deserve to die tonight. Either way , I will never go down without a fight." he pulled his sword free before charging forward. Lighting cracking through the air.**

 **It ended tonight**

 **No matter what.**

(#)(#)\/(#)(#)

"Though little is known about what happened to Miyamoto Usagi after his duel with Jei the Slayer. But it was that very fight that skyrocketed Miyamtoto Usagi's legend. Forever crowning him as the greatest swordsmen of all time. After his fight, it is said he went to live in the mountains, enjoying a life of peace-"

"That's not what happened in the Slashening 5 though!"

Leo blinked, for a moment the twenty five year turtle old had forgotten that he wasn't alone. Staring at a wax figure of a white rabbit, telltale scar over his left eye and wrapped in feudal age clothing. His sword raised over his head in a heroic pose, with the expression that only a hardened warrior would have. Leo looked back to his company, it was sad the only people he could get to come with him to the Miyamoto Usagi exhibit was his own family. The exhibit itself was humble, and in the time that they had arrived several people had come in and left. But it was hard not to notice that his Raph, his own twin, looked bored to death, eyes fixated on his smart phone. Not that Raph didn't stick out anyway, with his wide strap black tank top barely with his shell sticking out of the back and tattoos covering his left arm. He was defiantly getting looks from touring cat girls who had come down with the case of giggles and a certain alligator mother with too much cleavage and not enough dignity.

Course, Raph hadn't been the one how had spoken. That had been the youngest in the group, in his ten year old glory and a bright orange baseball cap and freckled green skin, "In the reboot of the sequel of the Slashening 5 he fell in love with the Cursed Ninja Cosmic Princess! And they reached a new power level, "

"Mikey, the people who made that movie took _alot_ of creative freedom. About the only thing the Usagi from the Slashening has in common Miyamoto Usagi is the name. "

"But." Mikey frowned for a moment, "so there's no Blessed Cursed Sword of the Future that can cut souls in half? And its power level isn't over nine-"

"No of course not Mikey." That came from the second youngest twelve year old, and the only other Turtle who was paying attention the exhibit. It was hard not to miss anything though, with those thick framed glasses, "There was a legend that he found the Grasscutter, but it's just a legend. It's said that he hid it because-"

"I see the Grasscutter!" Mikey was pointing out of the exhibit with a wide smile, "They're selling it in the gift shop for Twenty dollars! Can I have twenty dollars Leo?!"

Leo couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him, "Maybe for your birthday." Giving the turtle a one armed hug" And for now I'll let you borrow my Yojimbo comics instead?"

"We still have those?" Raph tore his eyes away from his phone for the first time in an hour, tucking the device in his pants, "I could have sworn I burnt them when you shipped out."

The oldest turtle probably would have panicked if he had not felt a small weight lean against his arm that drew his eyes to Donnie's winking face, "Don't worry, I traded them out for a certain SOMEONES playboy magazines." Struggling not to smile at the horrified look on Raph's face as the tallest leaned over, gritting through his teeth, "You're so _dead_ when we get home." Earning double raspberries from both of the young turtles. Leo rolled his eyes before wrapping his arm around each of his youngest brothers," Behave all of you. "Before giving a smile to a bear couple that had walked by, and doubling back over to whisper to his brothers "I'm not getting kicked out of anywhere else. It's bad enough we can't go back to the Empire State Building. Or that Pizza City restaurant in Brooklyn. OR that Telecommunications museum in Queens." Giving a look to a certain genius who met his gaze with a huff and a pouty arm cross.

"If the curators didn't want to be corrected, they should have been giving out false information."

"You made the head scientist, cry Donnie. For having a typo-"

"See? I aint the only one who gets us kicked out of places. Next time we're going to the Die Hard exhibit." Raph grumbled," Come on Mikey, let's check out the Grasscutter, maybe we can use it to mow the lawn,"

"Great! All we need is a lawn now!" Already Mikey was chasing after Raph, climbing up on his shell piggy back style. The youngest turtle's hidden talent had to lie in his ability to climb onto of any moving target. He had proved that the list time they were at the museum by climbing an expecting security guard. They hadn't been allowed back in the museum for years once again referring to the long lists of places he and his brothers were temporarily/permanently kicked out of….Luckily Mikey had now contained his, talent' to family members. Their suspension had ended just in time too, Leo hadn't been state side long, but when he had heard of the New York Museum Usagi Miyamoto exhibit, it bugged him to no end that they hadn't arranged his name right, he was starting to understand why Donatello always went around correcting every museum he went to-

"Leo?"

The oldest blinked before glancing down at his remaining brother, 'Yeah Don?"

"I know you like Usagi Yojimbo comics, I like them too cause you used to read them to me. But you never really explained to me why you like them so much."

Leo sighed, taking a step behind his little brother, arms wrapped around the child's collar bone as his rested his chin on Donatello's scalp, "It's kinda lame, but me and Raph were in foster care for a long time. Before you were even born. We didn't have a lot either, our clothes always smelled like garbage bags and anything we got that was somewhat cool got stolen. The worst part that whenever I started to feel safe again, Id' get the word that I was going to a new foster home, and I would have to deal with the fear of getting separated from Raph."

"I didn't know that."

"I never really wanted you to know. In the house where finally got adopted, there were a lot of donation boxes. One day I found an older worn copy of Usagi Yojimbo." A small smile grew across his face, "I loved the fact that I could relate to him. A wandering samurai on a warrior's pilgrimage. He sorta taught me how to deal with my own anxiety and my situation. It was the one thing that wasn't stolen from me. I just…felt connected to him." He smiled down to the little turtle, "It wasn't long after that that me and Raph got adopted by the Hamoto's, and after that I had two more brothers. That I love with all my heart."

He wasn't sure when the story had become so sappy, maybe it was a byproduct of age. But his reward was a tight hug around his stomach, "We love you Leo."

"I know." He rubbed Donatello's scalp," I love you all too." Pulling himself free, "Why don't you go ahead and meet up with our brothers? I don't want to get banned from the museum again."

The younger nodded with a smile, hurrying out of the small exhibit room before he paused , "What about you Leo?"

"I just need a few minutes, I'll be there in a bit,"

"Ok, behave." The younger said before disappearing from sight.

Leo couldn't help but smile with a shake of his head, turning back to the exhibit. Whether it really was cause he was getting too old, but he didn't notice that he wasn't alone. He was sure there hadn't been a fox standing at the banister before. One hand resting on the bronze bar and dressed in a rather crisp looking suit. His hair bound in in what looked like a traditional samurai topknot. Leo almost thought about leaving, but he wasn't ready to yet, he took a few steps forward, stepping to the banister.

"That was quite a lovely story you told your brother."

Oh wow, Leo didn't think he'd have to talk. Had he really become that antisocial? Well, even if he was antisocial he had manners. Though the fox didn't have enough manners to not eavesdrop, "He enjoyed it." He said with a smile,

"I don't think you were telling him the full truth though."

Leo blinked for a moment, "Pardon?"

"There's more to your story then you told him. But there are things in life you keep to yourself. Because some memories are too personal to share."

….Leo wasn't sure he wanted to be at the exhibit anymore and he would have left….if he really didn't want to leave, "Do you like Miyamoto Usagi?" Leo could barely notice the way the fox looked at him out of the corner of his eye, a small smile on his face before looking forward again. He couldn't escape the feeling he had just walked into an episode of the Twilight zone. Damn it, and he had laundry to do at home. He didn't have time to be seeing gremlins on the wings of planes or being the last man on earth-

"I guess you can say we both learned a lot from Miyamoto Usagi. He was humble, kind. Prone to hotheadedness but he was the kind of rabbit that only comes once in a lifetime. That kind of warrior, that kind of soul."

"I guess you're a historian? Do you work for the museum?" Hopefully? He added in his thoughts

"In a way, at least not to this museum, I'm sure that if he were alive today, he'd be honored that he helped you so much Leonardo." The fox turned away, "I apologize for intruding, I'll let you enjoy some time alone." Before smiling kindly and walking away

Ok maybe he wasn't so bad. Leo was about to turn back when a thought occurred to him as he looked back to the fox's retreating form, "How did you know my name?"

Without looking back the fox said, "You must have said it before." Dark eyes glancing over his shoulder for a moment, "mine is Sasuke, I hope we meet again." Before disappearing out of the exhibit.

Even for New York that guy was a weirdo. He was kind of happy Donatello hadn't been around for that guy, for some reason the genius would have been intrigued and probably would of asked for his life's story. And Leo was been sure they had been alone in here before.

Without anyone else in the exhibit, Leonardo could feel his tense shoulders relax. He had always been grateful not to suffer any of the stress his friends in the service had suffered from. But at the moment he was suddenly aware of how small the exhibit really was. There were a few panels that depicted the samurai's early life unto his battle with Jei. He had read about it enough times. In high school he had tried talking to his friends about it, but they were more interested in watching the original Slashening movies. They didn't care about historical accuracy, and more about blood spurts and nude slips. The thought made Leo sigh.

But at least he was alone

Before Leo knew it, his hand touched the cold copper banister, suddenly feeling awkward. To who? He didn't know. Maybe he was suddenly scared of mannequins. Maybe he was finally losing his mind

But he wanted to say something

"I know you're just a wax statue, and the real Miyamoto Usagi died years ago. Maybe my drug addicted mothers genes are kicking in." he didn't want to look around, in case someone had snuck in behind him. He didn't want to lose his nerve, "And maybe you can't hear me, which is alright. Maybe that'll make this less embarrassing. So….thank you. For everything. For giving me hope, for teaching me about honor, you were the first real hero I ever had…but most of all….you helped me find a family….."

(#)(#)\/(#)(#)

 **It was almost sad**

 **Though Leo had never been to a bigger foster home, this definitely had to be the dirtiest. The couch he sat on was streaked with a rainbow of different streaks, most unidentifiable, and the carpet matched the grassless lawn outside. He didn't even want to do laundry since anytime he did his clothes came back dirtier than before. It was easier just to wait till he got to school and rinse off his clothes in the shower. That was something Raph had taught him a while ago.**

 **Speaking of which**

 **His younger twin was snuggled into his side, sleeping off the anesthesia he had needed to stitch his mouth. A byproduct of another fight that would leave a permanent scar down the right side of his mouth. Not that it had been Raph's fault in the first place, though Raph was more then well known for his fights. This one had been in Leo's defense after one of the other kids in class had shoved him down.**

 **Not that anyone understood that.**

 **Not the teachers, not the principal and not the foster parents who ran the home. To them, they were just kids who were part of the system. A paycheck.**

 **Leo glanced down to his sleeping brother, his free arm wrapping his Usagi Yojimbo tighter to his chest and his other acting as a blanket for his brother. Even though Raphael's shell, It was definitely warmer then the tissue thin blanket the foster parents had given them. Leo almost wanted to go to sleep too except for the loud ruckus of a dozen other kids running through the rickety house. Leo had counted himself lucky that they had even gotten this room to themselves. But it wouldn't last, before too long, Raph would be punished for defending him. The mere thought sent tears to his eyes as he wrapped his arm tighter around Raph.**

 **He couldn't protect his little brother here**

 **The turtle could hear a door open in the distance with a small 'ting' of belle. That was the entrance the foster parents used to alert the kids when adopting parents were coming. But it was still drowned out by the kid's tsunami of never ending chaos. When Leo and Raph had first been dropped off by their drug addicted mother, they would run to wherever the adopting parents were in whatever home they were in. They older kids around them had always laughed at their eagerness. Leo hadn't understood it at the time, but as time grew on he realized that parents looking to adopt only wanted to adopt young children. And even when they had been dropped off when they were five, they were too old. Over time, whenever he was alerted to a potential parent's presence, he and his brother eventually stopped jumping up. Stopped hoping**

 **Leo couldn't deal with the heartbreak of another parent looking him and his brother over like they were nothing.**

 **He could hear a pair of footsteps walk down the hallway. Yup, heading right for the nursery of never-ending babies. He could hear their foster mother's thick voice talking about the precious babies and how it was her and her husbands 'God given' mission to help those unfortunate. Leo would never deny that there had been many foster parents over the years who lived up to that statement**

 **These parents weren't one of them**

 **An obese pig walked by, her saggy tank top shoed off half her stomach and overly tight pants every wrinkle of fat she had. Gesturing past thee open doorway and giving Leo a almost death glare warning him, before walking by, "These babies are pinker then I am!" Leo had been at this home long enough to know his cue, dropping his head to avoid eye contact before he noticed something strange. Not the fine clothes that marked someone who could afford to adopt, or the noticeable absence of urine smell in the air.**

 **That man was human.**

 **Leo had seen a few humans over his twelve year life, but not often enough not to be awestricken by his appearance, but he was already past the open doorway. A woman following in his steps. She had to be his wife, dressed in a simple yellow sundress and her black ebony hair tied back into a knot slanted eyes told her oriental heritage, maybe her husband was oriental too. He really didn't have a chance to look at him. Unlike her husband the woman stopped for a moment, letting the man and foster mother disappear ahead. Leo was fairly sure she didn't see him. But her eyes were fixated on her flip phone. He really didn't mean to stare, but his eyes wandered down to her bulging purse that signified someone who had just spent a long time in the car. A familiar yellow paperback cover he had spent many hours standing outside of the nearby bookstore staring at.**

" **Usagi."**

 **The woman nearly leaped out of her skin, his awe replaced with soul shattering guilt as he ducked his head. He was going to get it from Pig Lady now. Why the he just shut up-**

" **Was that you?"**

 **Well double crap. Now she could see him. Leo was almost surprised she could differentiate his form from the filth around him. But he did have manners, enough to atleast nod with a bright red face.**

" **What did you say?" somehow she had stepped into the room without him noticing. There was no way her shoes were going to escape without any filth now**

" **Usagi." He made sure to speak up. Before pointing at her bag, "You have the newest Usagi compilation, right? Usagi Yojimbo"**

 **The woman turned to her bag, pulling out the book. Yup, Usagi, her confusion fell to a smile, "It is, I'm surprised you know him. His comics started when I was a kid."**

 **Leo smiled sheepishly, before lowering his comic away from his chest. The cover was almost too worn to read the title but her face lit up anyway, "You collect them?" she asked**

" **I only have one, it's my favorite though."**

" **It should be, that's a good issue. Lucky." Her tone teased lightly, "Usagi Yojimbo is what made me what to be an Anthropologist. It inspired me. Why do you read it?"**

 **Leo looked down to his issue for a moment before looking back up. For a moment he was grateful that Raph was asleep. He couldn't bare the teasing he would get if Raph heard his answer. His nerve was almost lost expect for that warm smile on her face. Still, Leo looked around to make sure no one else was around and gesturing for her to come closer. Someone about his actions must have humored her, if that small giggle was anything to go by as the woman leaned close. Leo cupped his free hand around his mouth and whispered, "He's like the parent I always wanted."**

 **The pity was almost eminent, for a moment Leo wished he really could crawl back inside his shell and hide. Why had he said that?! Why not, 'I like the slashing!' 'I like the stabbing' like any other boy would of said. THIS was why he got beat up-**

" **Is this your brother?"**

 **Raph? Raph! Leo nodded, "My younger twin, his names Raphael. I'm Leonardo."**

" **Leonardo what?"**

" **Doe." He didn't have to say 'like John Doe' since it was obvious what depredating reason there was for him to have that last name. It took him a moment to notice a hand held out. Not as though someone was about to slap him, or grab him. A gently warm smile on the woman's face. Leo tucked his comic back to his chest before rubbing his dirt covered palm on the cough and holding it out. The woman's hands were tougher than he expected at the contact, but the warmth embraced the cold of his like a blanket, a smile filled her face**

" **My name is Hamoto Tang Shen…..you and your brother should meet my husband, Yoshi."**

(#)(#)\/(#)(#)

Leo closed his eyes for a moment, emotions crashing over his form like a debilitating wave. Unable to stop the trickle of tear from rolling down the side of his face. That moment, when his life changed. More than when he had signed up for the military, more than when he had gotten his own bedroom, more than when they had found out his drug soaked mother had two more children, or that his parents had wanted them to be a part of his family.

His life changed that day.

Leo gripped the copper banister tighter in his hand, "I hope you got to meet him Mom." He said quietly, "I hope he answered all your questions, and that you two became friends…..and that he kept you company till Dad joined you." He closed his eyes, he could feel his grip on the banister quake as he struggled to maintain his composure. Forcing himself to take a slow shaky breath. A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around his chest. Leo entire body jolted in shock before looking down and noticing a olive green scalp tucked against his chest, "D-Don-"

"It's ok to be s-sad Leo." Though Don's voice was so muffled with his button up shirt that he couldn't even be sure that's what he was saying, "But don't be sad alone. That's why you have brothers. That's why you have me."

Leo blinked, feeling the hot liquid refill his eyes, "Don I'm….." before sighing, wrapping his arms around the twelve year old resting his chin on his scalp. , "I love the people who adopted us Don. Who found you and Mikey, they gave us a home, a family. I promise I'm happy."

"I know, but its ok to miss them too."

Blue eyes looked back to the wax statue for a moment before closing his eyes. After a few minutes his hammering heart began to level out, using the back of his hand to rub the last of the tears from his face and placing his hand on Donatello's scalp, "I don't know how you turned into such a good squirt."

"You were gone for two years Leo." Don smiled up at him, his own eyes struggling with emotion, "I learned a thing or two."

"I guess you did," Leo rubbed his scalp, "I'm sticking around, I promise."

"Good, I can't keep pretending to not miss you."

"You did that?"

"It made Raph mad and it'd make him admit to missing you. I had to."

Leo didn't know what alarmed him more, the fact Donnie had to pretend like he didn't miss him or that it took so much to get Raph to admit he did, "I guess if that's the worst thing you've done I can overlook it."

"Thanks. Sasuke almost flipped when he found out."

"Sasuke?" He blinked, 'That fox? Why are you talking to strangers?"

"He's not a stranger. He teaches at the college I go to. He's a anthropologist."

"Oh!" ok that was better. He was Don's professor. He could help the loud sigh that escaped his chest. Not a creepy stalker. Pulling a hand down his face, "Thank God." But somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right with that fox, "Let's find Raph and Mikey, I don't trust them not to have supervision for this long." Earning a small giggle from his brother. The two exiting the exhibit. Almost running into a windmill of arms, "What took you guys so long?!" Mikey waved his arms around bouncing in front of them, "You were taking forever! And Raph wouldn't buy me a pretzel!"

"Its fifty dollars for a kid sized meal shell fer brains." Raph crossed his arms," I could of bought twenty pizzas for that price."

Leo eyes bulged as the forbidden word echoed around the small group. Don had already ducked behind Leo while Raph eyes bulged to bowling ball sizes. But none of that wasn't nearly as alarming as Mikey's blue eyes dilated to near pin needles. His arms shooting into the air, nearly knocking into a nearby passing wolf, "PIZZA!?" He shouted in the near empty museum, drawing the eyes of nearby touring students and a less than impressed wolf security guard,"WE'REEATINGPIZZA!I'MSOHAPPYICAN'TREMEMBERTHELASTTIMEWEHADPIZZALETSGETGUUUMMIIIBEARRRRRS-:"

"No! I' mean, shit no you had pizza yesterday! And last time we had gummy bears on it we were sick all night!" Atleast Raph seemed to understand what he had said, slapping a hand down the front of his face, "damn it lets just go home."

"Agreed." Leo smiled. For a moment Raph's eyes met his, the concern was almost immediate. Of course his twin would be the one to tell immediately that he had been crying. But Leo reached out and put an arm around Mikey's shoulders, drawing him into his other side, "We're pretty lucky, aren't we Raph?"

The tallest turtle looked confused for a moment before smiling, "Yeah, we are." Before smiling at Mikey, "Come on, turtle back." A split second later Mikey had leapt up Raph' shell, hanging off with a loud laugh. Leo smirked to himself before taking Don's hand and following after. The small remainder of what had once been Hamoto's walked out. Despite himself, Leo glanced back through the museum door one more time into the exhibit. Maybe it was the way the light was shining, or maybe his own imagination…but he could have sworn the statue was smiling.

 **a/n**

Never thought I'd' be apologizing for a one shot.

It's not my usual thing, I know. I mean, it kinda is. Usagi, Turtles, it's sorta my jam now. I'll admit I got emotional when I was writing it, mostly because I can relate to Leo so much in this. Caring about something so much. And before you ask yes this takes place on the actual Yojibmo verse, the one the turtles verse calls Third Earth. Without any of my modifications to the series, (known as the Unbreakable verse) I wanted to do a story that shows how awesome the world Stand Sakai made in comparison of mine. he really deserves all the respect in the world.

But i digress, this is how i imagine the world would turn out in the future, some time between Usagi Yojimbo verse and Space Usagi. And if the turtles had actually been part of that verse in their own time period

Anyway, sorry for the lack of updates. I'm working on it I promise. So I'm obviously not dead! Or atleast not completely. Maybe I can still be mostly dead? QUICK! TO MIRACLE MAX! COME ON RAPH!"

Raph follows, grumbling, "I sure as hell better be Inigo Montoya and not Fezzik."


End file.
